Europe

New Year party tragedy: 40 people died after a Swiss ski resort catches fire

Published 2 Jan 2026 at 7:14 PM

by Rose Dabu

3 min read

A deadly fire broke out inside a crowded bar in a Swiss ski resort during New Year's celebrations
At least 40 were declared dead, while more than 100 people suffered injuries, many of them serious
Witnesses described panic as people tried to escape through windows and flames
Authorities are still investigating the cause while working to identify the victims

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A deadly fire swept through a packed bar in the luxury ski resort town of Crans-Montana in Switzerland early Thursday, killing at least 40, and injuring more than 100 people.

The incident happened as young people gathered to celebrate the New Year.

Witnesses said panic quickly spread inside the bar as flames filled the space.

Some people tried to smash windows using chairs to escape, while others ran into the streets with burn injuries.

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Emergency crews rushed to the scene in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

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Police commander Frederic Gisler said around 40 people were initially confirmed dead, with about 115 injured, most in serious condition.

Later reports from Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland said the death toll had reached 47, though Swiss police said an exact number was still being verified.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin described the incident as one of the worst tragedies in the country’s history.

He announced that flags would be flown at half-mast for five days to honor the victims.

By Thursday evening, hundreds of residents and tourists gathered for a church service and later held a silent vigil near the site.

Flowers and candles were placed as families waited for news about missing loved ones.

Several witnesses recalled seeing flames burst from the bar shortly before 1:30 a.m.

One young bystander said people were running through fire while trying to escape.

Early reports mentioned a possible explosion, but prosecutors later said the fire likely caused the blast, not the other way around.

Some witness accounts pointed to sparklers attached to champagne bottles being raised close to the ceiling before flames spread.

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Authorities have not confirmed this and said the investigation is ongoing. Officials also stressed that the incident was not believed to be an attack.

Hospitals in the Wallis region quickly filled with patients. Many injured victims were transferred to specialized burn units in Zurich, Lausanne, and Geneva.

Some patients were also treated in neighboring countries.

Officials warned that identifying all victims could take days or even weeks due to the international crowd at the resort.

Families searching for missing relatives were directed to a convention center for support.

Read PhilSTAR Life's article here to know more about this tragic story:

In a previous report by KAMI, a family of three was mercilessly shot and killed inside their store in Barangay Mallorca, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija. Caught by CCTV, three men entered their store, closed the roll-up door, and shot the entire family to death. Before fleeing, one of the suspects even grabbed a bag and a mobile phone from the victim. In a report by Gary De Leon of TV 5's 'Frontline Pilipinas,' the family started getting threats after lending P1-M to one of the residents of their barangay; allegedly using the money for business.